Chapter 16

"Is it true that the total number of magical artifacts in all the Tranquil Heart Hall branches across the country doesn't even reach ten?"

Upon hearing Jing Shizhen's words, Su Xiaofan and Zheng Dagang were both stunned.

This was indeed far beyond their expectations, especially for Zheng Dagang. In his mind, Tranquil Heart Hall was one of the top antique shops in the country, and it should easily have hundreds of magical artifacts.

"So I said you two don't understand anything. Follow me inside," Jing Shizhen said as he got up and walked towards the inner hall, adding, "Old Yuan, no guests in the inner hall today. Take care of any business outside."

"Yes, Brother Jing. I'll keep an eye on things outside, so you can rest assured," Old Yuan replied.

"This is where I entertain guests."

As they entered the inner hall, it was a space similar to a living room, with a tea table as the most prominent feature.

Su Xiaofan had a good eye and could tell that the tea table was made of black wood with golden threads, known as yinshen jinshinan. At first glance, the table appeared entirely black, but from a different angle under the light, it showed a hint of gold. After focusing on it, the words "Yinshen Jinshinan, Unrestorable!" appeared in his mind.

"This piece was acquired from Yunnan Province years ago. The material wasn't uniform, so we made it into a tea table. It's hard to find such large pieces nowadays," Jing Shizhen explained, seeing Su Xiaofan staring at the table. Su Xiaofan was amazed; he knew the price of jinshinan. A simple yinshen wood bracelet could cost several thousand yuan, and a yinshen jinshinan piece would start at ten thousand. A table of this size, if sold, would likely fetch at least several million.

"Uncle Jing, there aren't many antiques in your shop," Su Xiaofan said, voicing a question he had been pondering. Although it was an antique shop, there were very few items on display, and most of the items in the outer hall were modern crafts, with only two from the late Qing Dynasty.

"The best pieces are kept in bank safety deposit boxes."

Since Su Xiaofan was Zheng Dagang's friend, Jing Shizhen didn't treat him as an outsider and had a good impression of him. The young man was reserved and knew his place, so Jing Shizhen spoke to him casually.

"We have safety deposit boxes in banks in every city where we have a branch. Valuable items are usually stored there."

Jing Shizhen smiled and said, "It's a coincidence that I brought these two magical artifacts back today because a client wants to see them tomorrow. Normally, it's quite troublesome to view them, and even Old Yuan doesn't have the authority to access them. You'd need to make an appointment with me in advance."

"Uncle Jing, if there are no items on display, how do customers choose? And it's so troublesome to make an appointment to go to the bank every time."

Although Su Xiaofan had been in the antique market for a few years, he was at a very low level and didn't understand how large antique shops operated.

"That's simple. We're in the antique business, but we also need to keep up with the times."

Jing Shizhen laughed and pointed to an iPad on the tea table, saying, "Look at the tablet. It has photos of the actual items from various angles, and you can zoom in and out. It's even clearer than looking at the real thing."

Jing Shizhen chuckled and said, "Our customer base is relatively stable, mostly regulars or referrals. They have strong purchasing intentions and come with specific goals. When they request to see items, they usually buy them. It's rare to have to go back and forth to the bank's safety deposit box."

Hearing Jing Shizhen's explanation, Su Xiaofan finally understood. It seemed that Tranquil Heart Hall was selective about its customers. Those without the means would likely just sit in the shop, drink tea, and look at the photos on the tablet. To see the real items, one had to be a regular customer or a referral.

"Zheng, you and Xiaofan wait here."

Jing Shizhen didn't stay in the inner hall but pushed open a door. Zheng Dagang and Su Xiaofan stopped, clearly aware that they were not to go further.

"I've been inside; there's a safe in there."

Zheng Dagang pointed to the door, "The shop does have some good items, but the best are in the bank."

"I came today to see the magical artifacts," Su Xiaofan said eagerly.

"Xiaofan, I'm sorry, but we can't do the magical artifact business," Zheng Dagang apologized, as Jing Shizhen was not around.

"Brother Zheng, Uncle Jing said we can't do the business ourselves, but we can introduce it to him. Besides, magical artifacts are just ordinary objects, right? We can try to find a source and buy some to sell."

Su Xiaofan wasn't particularly concerned about whether they could do the business. The repair value in his mind could identify magical artifacts, and he might be able to find some.

"Magical artifacts aren't made by craftsmen. Don't think about it anymore."

As Su Xiaofan spoke, Jing Shizhen's voice rang out, "There are things you don't understand yet, but remember, magical artifacts are rare. If you encounter one, it's likely to be something like what Zheng sold. So, don't think about this line of business."

With that, Jing Shizhen emerged from the inner room, holding a velvet-covered tray with two items. Su Xiaofan, standing far away, could only see a black, palm-sized object and a round, lid-like item.

"Come, take a look. These are real magical artifacts. Put on gloves before you touch them."

Jing Shizhen brought the tray to the tea table and called the two over. Zheng Dagang and Su Xiaofan quickly put on the white gloves from the table.

"Uncle Jing, is this an ancient mirror? And this is a bell?"

After seeing the items on the tray, Zheng Dagang said, "I have ancient mirrors too. Engraving a Bagua pattern makes it a magical artifact? If you want, I can get you dozens. Is this considered a magical artifact?

And this bell is common. It's just a wind chime from many pagodas. It's hard to get, but with some effort, it's possible. Uncle Jing, are these the magical artifacts you're talking about?"

"I don't like talking to you, you ignorant fool."

Jing Shizhen glared at Zheng Dagang and said, "This Bagua mirror is a protective magical artifact that can stabilize feng shui and ward off evil. It's a rare defensive artifact. I dare say there are few in the country who can produce something better.

As for this bell, it is indeed a wind chime, also known as a divination bell. In ancient times, it was used for divination, but it's different from the wind chimes on pagodas. This is an offensive magical artifact. When it encounters evil winds, it can ring and harm enemies. One defensive and one offensive, if hung in a home, it can protect the family from any impurities or evil."

"Uncle Jing, do you read novels too?"

Hearing Jing Shizhen's words, Zheng Dagang looked at him strangely and said, "There's no such thing as evil winds in the real world. It's all made up in novels. Do you believe it? By the way, some people do believe it, otherwise, how could these items be sold?"

"I... I don't need to waste words on you. Look if you want, or get out."

Despite his good temperament, Jing Shizhen was visibly upset by Zheng Dagang's sarcastic remarks. He placed the tray in front of Su Xiaofan and ignored the two. If not for Zheng Dagang, he wouldn't have brought out these precious magical artifacts.

"Uncle Jing, don't be angry."

Zheng Dagang looked at the two items and approached Jing Shizhen, "Uncle Jing, seriously, if I help you collect these items, would you want them?"

In Zheng Dagang's view, although ancient mirrors were rare, they could still be found. It was just a matter of quality.

As for the wind chime, he wouldn't dare take the one from White Horse Temple, but there were many temples in Luochuan. Some with less incense could be bought with some money.

"Get out!"

Although he knew he shouldn't get angry with the rascal, Jing Shizhen's face turned red. The two magical artifacts he had painstakingly acquired were dismissed by Zheng Dagang as common items.

Jing Shizhen stood up to take the tray, which startled Su Xiaofan, who was holding the ancient mirror and staring at it.

"Uncle Jing, wait, let me look again." Su Xiaofan quickly stopped Jing Shizhen. He had just finished examining the Bagua mirror and hadn't had a chance to look at the bell yet.

[Repair Value: 8 points!]

[Bagua Mirror, Low-grade Damaged Magical Artifact, Repairable, Requires 3 Repair Points, Repair?]

"No repair!" Su Xiaofan thought.

The information about the mirror appeared clearly in Su Xiaofan's mind, making him pause. The mirror had clear Bagua patterns and no rust, appearing in perfect condition. Why was it marked as a damaged magical artifact like his dragon-shaped jade pendant? What was missing?

Moreover, although the Bagua mirror was a low-grade magical artifact, lower in rank than his mid-grade dragon-shaped jade pendant, it was much cheaper to repair, requiring only 3 repair points, compared to the 50 points needed for the jade pendant. If it were his, Su Xiaofan would have used the repair points immediately.

Fearing that Jing Shizhen would take the artifacts away, Su Xiaofan quickly picked up the small bell, about the size of a baby's fist, and focused on it. The information about the bell also appeared in his mind.